THE LIFE OF POPE. CHAPTER I. 1688-1709. POPE'S family descent-Character of his FATHER-His birth and constitution-His education-Leaves school to reside with his father at Binfield, in Windsor Forest-ODE TO SOLITUDE-Verses TO THE AUTHOR OF A POEM INTITLED SUCCESSIO-Obtains a sight of Dryden, and remarks thereon-Writes Dramatic Pieces and an Epic Poem-Translations from the Latin Authors-Reads the English prose writersWrites his PASTORALS-Visits London-Educates himself, and consequences thereof-Unfavourable effect of study on his health--His susceptible and affectionate disposition-His irritable temper and talents for satire-Forms an acquaintance with SIR WILLIAM TRUMBULL-With MR. WYCHERLEY-Criticizes Wycherley's Poems-MR. WALSH-IMITATIONS OF ENGLISH POETS-JANUARY AND MAY-THE WIFE OF BATH-Visits London and frequents Will's Coffee-houseAcquaintance and Correspondence with MR. CROMWELL-Writes his ESSAY ON CRITICISM-Publishes his Pastorals and other Pieces in Tonson's Miscellanies, and Remarks thereon. THE family of Pope has only been distinctly traced to the grandfather of the poet, a clergyman of the Church of England, settled in Hampshire'. He had two sons, the younger of whom, Alexander, being intended for a mercantile life, was sent to reside with a family at Lisbon, where he became a convert to the Roman Catholic From the information of Mr. Pottinger, a relation of Pope, to Dr. Bolton, late Dean of Carlisle v. Warton's edition of Pope, vol. iv. p. 53. faith. On his return he engaged in business, and married Editha, one of the daughters of William Turner, Esq., of York. Of this marriage Pope was the only offspring. Before her union with Pope's father, his mother had been married to a Mr. Rackett, by whom she had a son named Charles. The wife of this half-brother of Pope, was the sister Rackett, so frequently mentioned by him, and who with her sons became possessed of the chief part of his property, as residuary devisees in his will2. The advantages of birth are seldom despised by those who are entitled to them. Pope has advanced his claim to them in his Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot: 66 Of gentle blood (part shed in honour's cause, Whilst yet in Britain honour had applause) Each parent sprung". And in a note on the same Epistle we are informed that Mr. Pope's father was of a gentleman's family in Oxfordshire, the head of which was the Earl of Downe, whose sole heiress married the Earl of Lindsay. His mother was the daughter of William Turner, Esq., of York. She had three brothers: one of whom was killed; another died in the service of King Charles; the eldest, following his fortunes, and becoming a general officer in Spain, left her what estate remained after the sequestrations and forfeitures of her family 3." This account has not been suffered to remain uncontroverted. Dr. Warton informs us, that "when Mr. Pope published the notes on the Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, giving an account of his family, Mr. Pottinger, 2 A sister of Pope's mother married Samuel Cooper, the celebrated miniature painter, which has given rise to an opinion that Pope's mother was the daughter of Cooper; and this error has been inscribed under her engraved portrait. Note on Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, in Pope's works, fol. ed. vol. ii. a relation of his, observed that his cousin Pope had made himself out a fine pedigree, but he wondered where he got it; that he had never heard any thing himself of their being related to the Earls of Downe; and what is more, he had an old maiden aunt, equally related, a great genealogist, who was always talking of her family, but never mentioned this circumstance; on which she certainly would not have been silent, had she known any thing of it. The burial-place and monuments of the family of Popes, Earls of Downe, is at Wroxton, in Oxfordshire. The Earl of Guildford had seen and examined the pedigree and descents of that family, and was sure that there were then none of the name of Pope left who could be descended from that family." In addition to which, the last biographer of Pope assures us, "that from the most authentic intelligence, obtained at the Herald's Office, it appears that the pedigree which Pope made out for himself, was as much fabricated as Mr. Ireland's descent from Shakespear" Mr. Ireland, it must be observed, had traced a regular series of ancestors from Shakespear to himself, and had afterwards acknowledged it to be a deliberate falsehood. Pope has made out no pedigree whatever, and has only mentioned what he had doubtless heard, of an indefinite relationship between the families; which, whether well founded or not, is a matter of little importance, as such relationship would have conferred a greater honour on that family than he could possibly have derived from it. Pope lived at a time when the advantages of birth were perhaps somewhat more highly appreciated than they are at present; the consequence of which was, that amongst the various attempts to degrade him, the supposed meanness of his origin was not unfrequently men 4 Note on Ep. to Dr. Arbuthnot: v. Warton's ed. vol. iv. p. 53. tioned. To this subject Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Lord Hervey have condescended to allude in their verses to the Imitator of Horace : "Whilst none thy crabbed numbers can endure, Hard as thy heart, and as thy birth obscure." Respecting which we shall not perhaps greatly err, if we judge of the candour of the last line, by the justice of the first. It may be proper to attend to what Pope has himself said to Lord Hervey in reply to these lines: "As to the obscurity of my birth, I am sorry to be obliged to such a presumption, as to name my family in the same leaf with your lordship's; but my father had the honour, in one instance, to resemble you, for he was a younger brother. He did not think it indeed a happiness to bury his elder brother, though he had one who wanted some of those good qualities which yours possessed."-" As to my father, I could assure you, my lord, that he was no mechanic, neither a hatter, nor, what might please your lordship yet better, a cobbler, but in truth, of a very tolerable family; and my mother of an ancient one; as well born and educated as that lady whom your lordship made choice of to be the mother of your own children; whose merit, beauty, and vivacity, if transmitted to your posterity, will be a better present than even the noble blood they derive only from you: a mother on whom I never was obliged so far to reflect, as to say, she spoiled me'; and a father who never found himself obliged to say, that he disapproved my conduct. In a word, my lord, I think 6 Mary Lepel, daughter of General Nicholas Lepel, Maid of Honour to Caroline, Princess of Wales, and a woman of great beauty and uncommon accomplishments. She lived till the year 1768. Šince her death, a collection of some of her letters has been published, which do honour both to her talents and her heart. 7 Alluding to what Lord Hervey has said of himself in another attack upon Pope, intitled, An Epistle to a Doctor of Divinity. |